Just like established public schools, charter and tribal schools are subject to public audit. In the 2020-21 school year, Washington's charter and tribal schools served more than 5,600 students. SAO audits the public funding that each type of school receives.
Recent audits of tribal schools have found that they keep records to support revenue and expenditures, and that they have quickly implemented audit recommendations.
Accounting and reporting guidance for leases and subscription-based information technology arrangements (SBITAs) are changing for school districts and charter schools. This is the case regardless of whether your method of accounting is cash or modified accrual.
Since the state Legislature approved House Bill 1660 in June 2020, school districts across Washington have been examining the law to understand what is required of them and how to manage their Associated Student Body (ASB) funds. Here's a quick refresher about the law, who's responsible for setting the criteria, and how SAO plans to audit this area.
We're excited to see you in person at this year's annual WASBO conference. Since we last saw you—virtually in 2021—we've updated some of your favorite resources, like the school's financial statement review and preparation checklist, and made some changes to our piggybacking best practices guide. We've also launched new guides and checklists for payroll and accounts payable that you won't want to miss. And with the influx of federal money to school districts, we've created a new tool to help with your federal grant programs. Stop by our booth to learn more about these resources!
There has been interest in audits of three Washington charter schools released Thursday, March 2. To make it easier to find these reports as a group, we have collected them here:
With the school district year-end financial report deadline just around the corner, we've updated our Preparation and Review Checklist for School District Financial Statements.
The updated checklist will help school districts using the F-196 reporting model, modified accrual or cash basis. The checklist covers important questions for school districts as they prepare and review their financial statements, note disclosures, the Schedule of Long-Term Liabilities, and the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (if applicable).
This week, the Washington Association of School Business Officials (WASBO) is hosting a virtual version of its annual conference, which makes this an opportune time to check in regarding financial reporting and auditing issues.
We have collected information that matters specifically to schools in an Audit Connection newsletter targeted specifically to schools and school districts and packaged it in this digital newsletter.
Charter and tribal schools are subject to public audit just as established public schools are. In the 2020-21 school year, more than 5,600 students were served by charter and tribal schools in Washington.
SAO audits the public monies received by each type of school.
Recent audits of tribal schools reflect that the schools keep records to support revenue and expenditures, and that the schools have quickly implemented audit recommendations.
School districts have asked the State Auditor's Office for as much clarity as we can provide on what we plan to audit each fiscal year. Like districts, SAO relies on the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction for clear rules and guidance to provide the criteria for the audits.
Today, we published an interactive report on special education funding in Washington, as authorized under Enhanced Second Substitute Senate Bill 5091. Special education helps about 143,000 Washington students succeed in our school system.